Aeroplane



Sept. 1, 1931.

H. L.. CAMPBELL 1,821,494

AEROPLANE Filed'Aug. 11, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. l, 1931. H. 1 CAMPBELL AEROPLANE Filed Aug. 11, 1930 4 sheets-sheet 2 Sept. l, 1931. H. L.' CAMPBELL `AEROPLANFJ Filed Aug. 1l, 1930 4,Sheets-Sheet 5 I 37 i Z/ MMV Sept- 1, 1931. H. L. CAMPBELL 1,821,494

AEROPLNE Filed Aug. l1, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 1, 1931 TATS HORACE L. CAMPBELL, OF ST; LOUIS, MSSOURI AEROPLANE Application lcd August 11, 1930.

This invention relates to improvements in aeroplane of the type known as helicopters.

rlhe main object of the invention is tol provide an aeroplane equipped with rotating airfoils or lifting elements and a propeller so arranged that the areoplane may arise from and descend to the ground in a substantially vertical plane and may travel lo horizontally or angularly upward or downward while in the air.

Another object is to provide an aeroplane including rotating frames carrying radially spaced hinged air-foils or lifting elements adapted to open flat as they move downward and close as they move upward thus exerting a lifting tendency to raise the aeroplane and sustain it in the air in flight.

Another object is to provide an aeroplane including a relatively large tail plane or rear airfoil extended to the outer margins of and disposed rearwardly of the rotating irfoils or lifting elements whereby the slip stream or current of air thrown off rearwardly by the rotation of the said airfoils will engage the said tail plane to further sustain and guide the aeroplane in Hight.

A further object is to provide an areoplane having a tail plane or rear airfoil so arranged that it may be projected rearwardly and moved upward or downward under the control of the pilot whereby to vary its angular position relative to the normal horizontal line of flight and so guide the aeroplane angularly upward or downward.

Still a further object is to provide an aeroplane in which the fuselage is so mounted that it will constantly rest in a horizontal plane no matter at what angle the aeroplane as a whole is iying or resting upon the ground.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter the invention resides in the novel arrangement and construction of parts as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the aeroplane. Figure 2 is an enlarged sect-ion along the line 2 2 in Figure 1 showing the aeroplane Serial No. 474,342.

in the position of normal horizontal iight or when at rest upon the ground.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of the mounting or suspending means for the fuselage and the drive means for the propeller and rotating airfoils.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section along the line 4-4 in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional detail view of the drive connection for one of the rotating airfoils.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail front view of the mounting or suspending means for the fuselage, parts being shown in section.

Figure 7 is an enlarged section along the line 7-7 inv Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings the reference character A designates the frame of the aeroplane, the same comprising a central section 1 of generally rectangular form and including the side bars 2 and 3 joined by the front and rear bars 4 and 5. The frame 1 tapers towards its rear end as shown in Figure 1 to allow the angular mounting of the rotating airfoils as will be hereinafter described. A front cross piece or beam 6 is secured to the front frame bar 4 and has its laterally projecting end portions bent angularly rearward as shown. A rear cross piece or beam 7 is secured to the rear frame bar 5 and also has its laterally projecting end portions bent angularly rearward in parallelism with the end por tions of the front beam 6. A conventional propeller 8 is provided on the front of the frame A and has its drive shaft 9 journaled rearwardly through the front beam 6 and bar 4 and through cross pieces 9a provided between the side pieces or bars 2 and 3. The drive shaft 9 terminates at substantially the longitudinal center of the frame 1 and is provided on its rear lend with a beveled gear 10. j

The fuselage supporting frame or hangers B comprises a pair of upper hanger arms 11 and 12 pivotally connected by their upper ends at 13 to the frame side bars 2 and 3 at substantially the center thereof; Lower hanger arms 14 and 15 are provided and the same are pivotally connected at their Lipper ends to the lower ends of the upper hanger arms 11 and 12. Beveled gears 16 are secured by their stub shafts 17 to the lower ends of the upper hanger arms 11 and 12 and the upper ends of the lower hanger arms 14 and 15 are then journaled on these shafts 17 between the gears 16 and the arms 11 and 12 in the manner shown in Figure 6. Similar beveled gears 18 are provided and the same have large stub shafts 19 journaled through the lower ends of the lower hanger arms 14 and 15. Enlarged fuselage supporting plates or flanges 20 are provided on the inner ends of the stub shafts 19 and are secured by bolts 21 to the sides of the fuselage 22. rlhis fuselage 22 may be of any desired form and constructed in any suitable manner, it being here shown as hollow and having the bullet shaped head or front end 23. Bearing brackets 24 are mounted on the lower hanger arms 14 and 15 below each of the gears 16 and 18 and shafts 25 are journaled through these bearing brackets and provided at their ends with beveled gears 26 meshing with the gears 16 and 18. Each gear 26 engages its driving gear 16 or 18 on the lower side thereof as shown and the arrangement is such that as the upper hanger arms 11 and 12 are swung on theirV pivots 13 the movement of the gears 16 brought about by this swinging rotates the shafts 25 and rotates the gears 18 through the gears 26. In this manner the fuselage 22 will be swung on the stub shafts 19 and will remain in substantially av horizontal position no matter what angular positions the upper and lower hanger arms may assume as will be understood. An engine 27 of any suitable conventional form is mounted within the fuselage 22 preferably near the front end thereof and this engine drives the beveled drive gear 28 through the pinion 29. Upper and lower drive shafts 30 and 31 are provided and the same are journaled through bearings 32 in longitudinal alignment with the upper and lower hanger arms respectively. At its lower end the lower drive shaft 31 is provided with a beveled pinion 33 meshing with the drive gear 28 and at its upper end this shaft is connected to the upper shaft 30 by a universal joint 34. A similar universal joint 35 is provided on the upper end of the upper drive shaft 30 and a short stub shaft 36 journaled in the bearing cross piece 37 is connected to this joint 35. A gear 38 on the stub shaft 36 meshes with the aforesaid beveled gear 10, the propeller drive lshaft 9 and propeller 8 being thus rotatable by the engine 27. It will be noted that the universal joints 34 and 35 and the connection between the gears 33 and 28 are aligned with the pivotal connections between the hanger arms and the frame and fuselage thus allowing the hanger arms to move freely upon their pivots without interfering with the transmission of power from the engine.

Rotating airfoils or lifting elements designated generally at C and l) are mounted at each side of the frame 1 between the laterally projecting end portions of the front and rear cross beams 6 and 7 The ends of the front beam 6 are bent rearward and then inward as designated at 40 in Figures 1 and 5 thus providing bearing lips or plate 41 spaced from and parallel with the remainder of the beam 6 as shown. Axles 42 are extended between the outer ends of the front and rear beams 6 and 7, the said axles converging towards their rear ends for a purpose to be described and being journaled at their front ends through the bearing lips 41 and beam 6 and at their rear ends through the beams 7 near the ends thereof. End frames or carriers 43 and 44 are provided on the front and rear ends of each of the axles 42 and comprise the spokes or bars 45 crossed at right angles and secured to the axles in any suitable manner. Supporting rods 46 are journaled between the ends of the spokes of each of the frames 43 and 44 making a rigid assembly which may be readily rotated between the front and rear beams 6 and 7. Beveled gea-rs 47 are secured on the axles 42 within the cleft formed by the rearward and inward turning of the ends of the front beam 6 as aforesaid and a beveled gear 48 is secured on the propeller drive shaft 9 near its forward end. Shafts 49 are journaled through the forward ends of the frame side members 2 and 3 and through bearing brackets 50 secured to the rear of the front beam 6 near its outer ends and beveled gears 51 and 52 are provided on the inner and outer ends respectively of these shafts 49. rlhese gears 5l and 52 mesh with the gears 48 and 47 rei spectively so that the axles 42 will be rotated by the rotation of the propeller drive shaft 7. The frames 43 and 44 on each axle will thus be rotating and it will .be noted that the gear 47 on one of the axles 42 is reversed relative to the gear on the other axle thus causing the axles to be rotated in opposite directions. The axles 42 are preferabl f, though not necessarily rotated in such manner that the frames 43 and 44 move downward at the outer sides of the assembly.

The lifting elements themselves comprise leaves or blades 53 hinged at 54 along opposite sides of the supporting rods 46 and these rods 46 are preferably square in cross section between the points at which they are journaled in the spokes 45 for this purpose as shown in Figure 7. A pair of leaves or blades 53 is hinged to each of the rods 46 and each leaf or blade preferably, though not necessarily, tapers towards its rearwardly disposed end as shown. lt will be readily loo understood that as each of the rods 46 moves downward in the rotation of the frames 42 and 44 the pressure of the air will swing the leaves 53 upward and apart so that they lie in substantial alignment and in a horizontal plane. This upward movement of the leaves 53 is rlimited to the degree shown by stops 54a which contact the supporting rods 46 in the manner shown in Figure 7. As the rods 46 move upward during the rotation ofthe frames 43 and 44 the leaves 53 will collapse or close under the influence of their own weight and so will offer a minimum of resistance to the air. As theleaves 53 spread apart and move downward they iwill of course exert a considerable lifting v shown.

power as will be evident. Beveled gears are secured on the forward ends of each of the supporting rods 46 which are extended through the spokes of the front frames 43 for this purpose and beveled gears 56 are secured on the rear face of each of the bearing lips 41 by means of the screws 57 or similar fasteners. These gears 56 have central bores 58 through which the axles 42 are freely passed as shown in Figure 5. The outer ends 59 of the spokes 45 of the front frames 43 are bent forward at right angles to the remainder of the spokes and bearing brackets 60 are provided on the forward faces of these spokes near their centers as shown. Shaft-s 61 are journaled through the forwardly turned spoke ends and the bearing brackets 60 and beveled pinions 62 and 63 are provided on the inner and outer ends respectively of each of these shafts 61. The pinions 62 and 63 mesh with the gears 56 and 55 respectively and thus cause the gears 55 to be rotated as the frames 43 rotate and the pinions 62 move around the gears 56. The supporting rods 46 are thus rotated and caused to maintain the position shown at which the points of pivotal connection of the leaves 53 are in horizontal alignment will be understood.

Side wings 64 and 65 are secured upon each side of the fuselage supporting frame B at the junction of the upper and lower hanger arms 11 and 'l2 and 14 and 15 as These wings 64 and 65 are extended longitudinally of the aeroplane and project outward slightly beneath and just clear of the path of the rotating airfoils or lifting elements C and D. The side wings 64 and 65 are upwardly convened or arched throughout their length as shown at 66 and their purpose will be hereinafter more particularly set forth.

A relatively large tail or tail plane 67 is provided and the same is secured on a supporting rod 68 which extends forwardly and is then bent downward at 69 and secured at 70 between the upper ends of the lower hanger arms 14 and 15. The tail 67 extends laterally out into alignment with the edges of the rotating airfoils C and D and then is tapered toward the rear and rounded olf as shown in Figure l. The tail 67 is provided with a forwardly extending lip 71 at the center of its front edge and this lip and the supporting rod 68 are slidably mounted through a slot 72 in a depending bearing 73 on the rear bar 5 of the frame 1. A pulley 74 is mounted on the lower portion of this bearing 73 and a similar pulley 75 is mount-ed on a depending bracket 76 on the front bar 4 of the frame 1. Cables 77 and 78 are secured to a collar 79 on the tail supportingrod 68 just Vbelow the bend 69 and are then trained over the pulleys 74 and and extended to the fuselage 22 where they are wound around a windlass 8O which is located in convenient position relative to the pilots seat as here indicated at 81. The arrangement is such that the tail 67 may be slipped backward or forward by turning the windlass 8O in the proper direction as will be understood. A vertical iin 82 is extended upward from and secured to the tail 67 near its forward edge and a rudder 83 is hinged at 84 to this lin. Rudder cables 85 are secured to the horns or brackets 86 on the rudder 83 and are passed forwardly and downwardly over the pulleys 87 and thence into the fuselage 22 where they are connected in the usual manner to the rudder bar 88.

Laterally spaced forward wheels 89 and rea-r wheels 90 are provided beneath the fuselage 22 and a tail wheel 91 is provided near the rear end of the tail supporting rod 68 as shown.

Figure 2 shows the normal position of the aeroplane when the same is at rest or when it is flying horizontally. In operation and to arise from the ground the engine 27 is started causing the rotation of the propeller 8 and thelifting elements C and D. The tail 67 is then projected rearwardly by tu'rning the windlass 8O and inasmuch as the tail supporting rod 68 is secured to the lower hanger rods 14 and 15 these rods will swing angularly backward at their upper ends as shown in Figure 3 causing the rear end of the said rod 68 to swing downward. The tail 67 is thus extended angularlyand rearwardly downward and theY forward end of the aeroplane will beY forced upward until the aeroplane rests upon the front and rear wheels 89 and 90 and the tail wheel 91. This upwarc` movement of the forward end of the aeroplane is caused by the weight of the tail 67 as it moves rearward, this rearward movement of the weight of the tail overbalancing the plane and causingit to assume the angular position recited. The angular upward pull of the propeller 8 and the upward thrust or lift of the rotating lifting elements C and D as hereinbefore pointed out will then raise the aeroplane Ivo l'. ll li from the ground. The stream of air thrown off from the propeller 8 and the lifting elements C and D strikes the tail G7 and creates a partial vacuum over the upper rear :gedge of the tail so that it acts in the usual manner as an airfoil or wing to facilitate the upward movement of the aeroplane and to aid in sustaining it in flight. It is for this reason that the said tail 67 is laterally extended into alignment with the rear edges of the lifting elements C and D and that the said lifting elements converge towards their rear ends. As pointed out the angular position of the tail 67 may also be varied by the windlass in order to increase or decrease its lift and to adjust the longitudinal angle at which the aeroplane flies. The rudder 83 of course is used to laterally guide the aeroplane in flight. It will be evident that the aforesaid initial angular setting of the aeroplane as a whole in beginning the flight allows the propeller 8 to assist in the upward movement greatly facilitating the operation. The same holds true in landing the aeroplane, allowing it to land very gently.

he side wings 64 and 65 aside from their planing action while the aeroplane is in flight serve to assist in the ascending and descending of the plane when it is near the ground due to the fact that the air forced downward by the leaves 523 as the lif ing elements C and D turn will strike the ground and rebound upward against the concave underside of these wings. This action of course urges the aeroplane upwardly in ascending and has a cushioning effect when landing. As hereinbefore pointed out the fuselage 22 will at all times remain in a horizontal plane no matter to what position its supporting hanger arms ll and 12 and 14 and l5 swing in the operation of the tail plane 67. The advantages of such an arrangement are obvious. Also it will be apparent that the rotating lifting elements C and D might be arranged to rotate Aon an aXis at right angles to the line of flightinstead of substantially in alignment with the line of flight as here shown.

vWhile I have herein set forth a certain preferred embodiment of my invention it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor structural details so as best to construct a practical device for the purposes intended, not departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a device of the kind described, a frame, a fuselage means for pivotally supporting the fuselage. from the frame, a propeller journaled at the front of the frame, lifting elements journaled at the sides of the frame, means for rotating the said propeller and lifting elements, a tail plane slidably mounted through the rear of tho frame and extended rearwardly therefrom, a supporting rod on the tail plane, the said supporting rod being secured to the pivotal supporting means for the fuselage.

2. In a device of the kind described, a frame, upper hanger arms pivoted to the frame, lower hanger arms pivoted on the upper hanger arms, a fuselage pivotally mounted between the lower hanger arms, means whereby the fuselage will be rotated between the lower hanger arms to remain in a horizontal plane as the hanger arms swing on their pivots, a propeller journaled on the front of the frame, lifting elements journaled at the sides of the frame, means for rotating the said propeller and lifting elements and a tail operatively mounted at the rear of the frame and connected to the said lower hanger arms.

3. In a device of the kind described, a frame, upper hanger arms pivoted to the frame, lower hanger arms pivoted on the upper hanger arms, a fuselage pivotally mounted between the lower hanger arms, means whereby the fuselage will be rotated between the lower hanger arms to remain in a horizontal plane as the hanger arms swing on their pivots, a propeller journaled on the front of the frame, lifting elements journaled at the sides of the frame, means for rotating the said propeller and lifting elements and a tail operatively mounted at the rear of the frame and connected to the said lower hanger arms, and means for adjusting the angular position of the tail relative to the frame.

4l. In a device of the kind described, a frame, a fuselage mounted on the frame, a propeller on the frame, rotating airfoils journaled at each side of the frame, means for rotating the propeller and airfoils, side wings mounted on the frame at each side and extended outward therefrom adjacent the path of the rotating airfoils, and a tail adjustably mounted at the rear of the frame, and extended laterally outward into alignment with the outer sides of the said rotating air-foils. Y

5. In a device of the kind described, a frame, a propeller journaled on the frame, rotating lifting elements journaled at the sides of the frame, a tail adjustably mounted at the rear of the frame, a fuselage operatively connected to the frame, means in the fuselage for rotating the said propeller and lifting elements, and means whereby the fuselage will remain in a horizontal plane as the frame tilts forward or backward in flight.

6. In a device of the kind described, a frame, a fuselage pivotally suspended beneath the frame, a propeller journaled on the frame, rotating lifting elements journaled at each side of the frame means for rotating the said propeller and lifting eleidk iin

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ments, side wings mounted on the frame within the path of the rotating lifting elements, a tail adjustably mounted at the rear 5 of the frame, a vertical n on the tail, a rudder hinged to the said fin, and means for adjusting the angularity of the tail and rudder.

7. In a device of the kind described, a lo frame, front and rear beams mounted on the frame and laterally extended therefrom, axles journaled between the ends of the beams, means for rotating the said axles, spokes secured to the axles adjacent the ends thereof, support rods j ournaled between the ends of the spokes, leaves hinged along opposite longitudinal sides of the support rods, gears on the ends of the support rods, gears secured to the ends of the front beam concentrically with theV said axles, shafts journaled along the said spokes, and gears upon the ends of the said shafts and meshing with the beveled gears on the support rods and the gears secured to the ends of the front beam.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.V

HORACE L. CAMPBELL. 

